Metro News & Reviews

Pics: early work on the Regional Connector tunnel entrance in Little Tokyo

This view shows the south end of the existing Little Tokyo/Arts District Station that is at street level. It will eventually be moved underground where the big yellow cranes are.

A view more focused on the intersection of 1st and Alameda. The tracks that were in the middle of the street have been removed so that the tunnel portal can be built.

Same view but a little wider to see the work extending east on 1st Street.

Attentive readers know that the Gold Line’s Little Tokyo/Arts District Station closed on Friday evening. The closure will continue until late March so that the tracks in the middle of 1st Street can be temporarily moved to the north side of the street in order to construct the entrance to a new rail tunnel.

Above are three photos I shot from Metro HQ earlier this afternoon. As you can see, a fair amount of work has already taken place.

Please see this post for information about the bus shuttle replacing Gold Line service between Union Station, Little Tokyo and Pico/Aliso Station, as well as info about parking in Little Tokyo during construction.

The Regional Connector will be a 1.9-mile underground rail line that will tie together the Gold, Blue and Expo Lines. As part of the project, the existing Little Tokyo Station will move underground at 1st/Central in Little Tokyo and there will be two other new stations at 2nd/Broadway and 2nd/Hope.

Obviously, the current work is a hassle for current riders on the Eastside segment of the Gold Line. On the bright side, the Regional Connector — when finished — will allow Gold Line trains from East Los Angeles to run directly into downtown L.A., saving Eastside riders the burden of having to travel to Union Station and transfer to the Red/Purple Line.

The Regional Connector is funded by Measure R – the half-cent sales tax increase approved by L.A. County voters in 2008 — and a federal grant.

I would like to suggest that Metro start referring to the Regional Connector as “the Regional Connector Project”. Once construction is complete the RC will essentially disappear into the fabric of the system. There won’t be timetables for the RC, there won’t be a color or letter for it.

Regarding the statement “The Regional Connector will be a 1.9-mile underground rail line that will tie together the Gold, Blue and Expo Lines.” It might be clearer to state: “The Regional Connector Project is a 1.9-mile underground rail extension that will close the gap between and tie together the Gold Line with the Blue and Expo Lines.” I would also add, “This will create 2 rail lines out the existing 3.”